


Sharpshooter

by SadSpottedPanda



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Abuse, Crime, Death, Drama, Kidnapping, M/M, Police, Poor Noctis, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, The sex will happen soon just wait, hostages, noctis x prompto
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-02
Updated: 2017-07-04
Packaged: 2018-11-22 12:56:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11380632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SadSpottedPanda/pseuds/SadSpottedPanda
Summary: Prompto nods. He may be the best sharpshooter the police can get, but he hasn't actually killed anyone, only disabled them by shooting their legs or arms. Inside, he can feel his stomach churning at taking a life, but if it was necessary, there was no choice.





	1. Argentum, In Position

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto nods. He may be the best sharpshooter the police can get, but he hasn't actually killed anyone, only disabled them by shooting their legs or arms. Inside, he can feel his stomach churning at taking a life, but if it was necessary, there was no choice.

It was just another lazy afternoon and Prompto was busy tinkering with the parts of his new camera. His skillful hands worked like magic in taking things apart and putting them back together. He sees the problem causing the lens to stop moving mid-zoom and smiles in satisfaction. Minutes later, the camera is back in one piece, being pointed around as Prompto tests it. Satisfied that the problem has been rectified, he snaps a few pictures before a blurry mass clouds his vision throuh the lens.

"Aw man, now what?"

"Is that how you greet your chief now, huh?" A voice says coldly.

Prompto lowers the camera and almost jumps in his chair. "Oh! Ahahaha. Sorry, Aranea. Thought the lens got dislodged again."

Aranea rolls her eyes and smiles. "Look, Prompto. I don't have a problem with you being around the station, but try not to make a huge mess when you're here..." she motions to the scattered papers and parts around his desk. "By the way, we don't have anything you can shoot at today. Why don't you head on home and call it a day?"

"I can't go yet! I'm still gathering subjects for my new series about the inner working s of the police."

"You could've just asked me for an interview, you know. Hello? Cheif of police, here." Aranea chuckles. "Or is it just an excuse to see -"

"Ohmigod, she's here!" Prompto interrupts excitedly, pointing his camera towards a group of officers that's just come in.

"Huh?" Aranea turns in the direction Prompto's staring at and groans. "Seriously, Prompto?" She puts a hand to her forehead and sighs.

A young, blonde officer with killer curves waves and struts towards them. Her gorgeous hair (and breasts) bounce up and down as she approaches. She just happens to be the police's best bet at handling anything related to tech, and the most beautiful one at that.

"Hey y'all! What's the camera for, Prom? "

"O..oooh. H...hey Cindy! Ahahaha. How's it going? I...um...I was just about to leave when you came in! I was...uh...taking pictures of the...uh...other officers for a project. Would you mind if you...uh...no...if I take your picture for it?"

Flattered, Cindy agrees and strikes a pose, her fingers in the form of a gun and a sultry expression on her face. Prompto takes shot after shot as Aranea watches on with an amused expression.

"Perfect, you're perfect! I got the shot I wanted!" Prompto's giggling like a child and Aranea gives him the death stare. "I...uh...better get going now! Haha, thanks Cindy!" Prompto rushes out, colliding with another officer as he does, and waves back.

Aranea sighs and shakes her head. "Cindy, you do realize he's totally into you, right?"

Cindy chuckles. "Of course! The sweet darlin' can't really hide his feelings. I do feel bad though. I'm married to my work and just have no time to deal with boys."

"I'm actually kinda hurt he didn't ask me for a picture. Aren't I pretty enough?" Aranea makes a mock cute face and Cindy bursts into laughter.

"Aranea, you look fine, hun! Pretty sure Nyx thinks the same way."

"He is my husband. He better think that way or else I'm gonna have a long talk with him. Anyway, any new intel on the terrorist group that threatened the delegation from Accordo?"

Cindy shakes her head. "With what I've pulled from their systems, there's nothin' that says that they're planning an attack or anythin' like it. I did find something you might find interesting. Care to visit my lab real quick?"

"Walk with me."

"Alrighty. While I was pulling up their files, I saw that some guy called Ardyn had contacted the group recently. I did a background check and boy, he has caused a lot of trouble." 

The two women enter Cindy's lab. Monitors line one wall with a tangle of wires on the floor leading to banks of computers. Various parts and devices clutter the shelves and a lone flower decorates a small corner miraculously free of any sort of mess - the only female touch in an otherwise male room.

"Hey Cindy. How was lunch? Oh, hi Aranea! Nice to see you again" A disembodied voice says. Moments later, a holographic image of a young girl in a plaid skirt appears, a happy smile on her face.

"Hey Iris! Lunch was great!" Cindy replies

"Hi Iris. How have you been?" Aranea says, never failing to be amazed that this holographic representation of an AI system Cindy's built from scratch feels so human and acts like one.

"Oh, just surfing the web for eveil, as always" the hologram laughs. "You here for intel?"

"Actually, yes. Cindy was just telling me about a certain Ardyn person."

"Ah, one sec." Iris disappears and a detailed profile of Ardyn pops up on the screens on the wall. "This is what I've been able to find so far after hacking into the servers of that terrorist group. Looks like trouble."

Aranea reads the information, her eyes squinted as the details catch her attention. "Kidnappings, blackmail, identity theft, assassinations...He's done pretty well for himself keeping his personal information off the grid."

"I know right?" Iris says, appearing in hologram form again. "I searched every database from every country, hoping to find anything about him, but there was nothing. I'm not even sure if Ardyn's his real name or just a name he uses. He probably had every trace of himself erased."

"Hun, does he pose a threat to that group from Accordo? The First Secretary is there and it would be bad if he showed up." Cindy interjects. "We know he's in Insomnia somewhere, but he doesn't have a motive for causing trouble here, does he?"

Iris grins "Actually, he has. While you were out, I managed to kinda unscramble that recording we retrieved earlier. It's not perfect, but it should prove something. Let me play it."

The recording plays and garbled voices fill the room. The quality isn't crystal clear, but it's clear enough to hear a conversation going on.

"The...Secretary will...Insomnia tomorrow. She has ...find her...kidnap... With...out of the picture...attack....your sum will be delivered..."

"Understood...the capital or....bomb..."

"...of your concern...the job...no questions asked."

The recording ends.

"Sorry. I tried my best, but they were using some kind of advanced scrambler even I couldn't get around." Iris says

"No, you've been great. Now we know the First Secretary is in danger. I'll dispatch a team to watch over her and inform the delegation right away." Aranea says "Cindy, monitor the cameras in and around the Hotel Leville. If anything's going to happen, we have to stop it before it does."

"Will do."

\-----

Prompto jogs back to his place 10 blocks away from the station, his camera full of pictures of Cindy. She was his absolute crush and whenever she as much as walked by him, he felt weak in the knees and forgot how to speak in complete, coherent sentences. He first met her when Aranea brought him as a civilian marksman for the SWAT team, and he's been jittery in her presence every since. Well, at least she didn't affect his shooting, as proven when he showed off his skill with guns at the shooring range.

He reaches his apartment and scrolls through the pictures the moment he sits down on his couch, surprised that they were tasteful despite him shaking the whole time. The poses Cindy made makes him chuckle. He was quite fascinated with Cindy and how she managed to be on top of anything technological-related - an interest they both shared. He sees her more as someone to admire and look up to and, despite what many people at the station think, doesn't think of her sexually in any way.

As Prompto settles in to his couch for a quick nap, his phone rings. It's Aranea.

"Promto, we have a situation. Can you get back here ASAP?"

"What's up?"

"Hostage situation. Hotel Leville."

"On my way." In a second, Prompto's up and running back to the station, adrenaline pumping through his veins. Aranea meets him at the door and tells him to get armed. 

"So, what's going on?"

"The First Secretary of Accordo has been taken hostage. The hostage taker was masquerading as one of the hotel staff. He's already taken out the people guarding her and she has him at gunpoint in her suite. We already knew she was in danger, but he beat us to her." Aranea angrily slams her fist on a table. "Dammit! If this goes south, we're going to be in a lot of trouble."

"Hey, just tell me what to do and we'll get this done in not time. Not like I've failed tou yet." Prompto says confidently.

Aranea sighs. "Yeah, so don't start now. You'll be sniping the suspect while we keep him distracted with the negotiators, then we'll retrieve the hostage once he's down."

"Is there no way for this to end with nobody dying?"

"Two people are already dead, Prompto. And this guy's dangerous. It's either we take him out or he disappears and threatens someone else's life."

Prompto nods. He may be the best sharpshooter the police can get, but he hasn't actually killed anyone, only disabled them by shooting their legs or arms. Inside, he can feel his stomach churning at taking a life, but if it was necessary, there was no choice.

\-----

The situation was delicate. One wrong move would end the operation disastrously, not to mention cause a disruption between Lucis and Accordo, and soil the reputation of the Insomnia Police Department and its SWAT division for many years. Prompto was not definitely not going to let that happen.

"Argentum, in position." He says cooly to his little mic clipped onto his jacket collar

"Y'know, you don't have to say that way, hun" Cindy's voice says, amused by Prompto's sudden shift in tone. "What happened to the rainbow and sunshines voice y'all were using just moments ago?"

"Aw c'mon, let me have my fun. It's not everyday I get to be the hero." True to his words, Prompto concentrates and focuses his scope on the target - a middle aged man with red-violet hair who has a gun pointed to the head of the First Secretary of Accordo. "What do you have for me, Cindy?"

"The hotel's been evacuated and Iris has access to the hotel's security cameras. Shouldn't be anybody else aside from the SWAT team in the hallway outside."

"Right..." Prompto pulls the trigger and the bullet flies forward, crossing the street, smashing through the window, tearing a clear path through the hostage taker's head, and embedding itself in the wall behind it. The SWAT team breaks down the door secures the hostage.

"Mission complete." He says to the mic and he's greeted with cheers from the other end.

\-----

"Phew. That went well..." Prompto says as he approaches Aranea, the flashing lights of police cars and ambulances illuminating his face in flashes of reds and blues.

"Good work, Prompto. I knew I could count on you." Aranea smiles. "The First Secretary is on her way to the hospital to get checked. She told me to give you her thanks."

"That's nice of her." Prompto unslings the rifle from his body and sets it down. "So, I guess the guy you were talking about earlier won't be a problem anymore, huh?"

"Thankfully, yes. Can't believe he allowed himself to get caught so easily..." A male voice comes through on Aranea's radio. "Excuse me." She walks to a quiet spot away from the sirens, but Prompto can see her descend onto frustration as the conversation goes on. She returns, a disturbed look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Prompto asks.

"The guys you shot...he was a decoy. This whole thing was a goddamned distraction!"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"That guy was wearing a wig! He wasn't the taget and I bet they weren't after the first secretary at all. What the hell?!" Aranea was obviously frustrated at the entire situation.

"If they weren't after the first secretary, then why go through all the trouble of doing this? I don't get it..." Prompto scratches his head.

"I don't know, but I'll get Cindy to work on it. Something's not right." Aranea sighs, her hand rubbing her forehead. "Anyway, you did still save a foreign leader, Prompto. Thanks for the help. I hate to tell you to go home now, but there's nothing else left for you to do here. Just leave your gear with Biggs and Wedge and you're free to go."

"Sure. Hey, if something comes up, let me know if I could help, alright?"

Aranea nods and walks to a group of officers to question them. Prompto leaves his gear with the officers as instructed and heads home. He grabs a bowl of cereal for dinner and turns on the TV, emotionally and physically exhausted. For some reason, he didn't feel as bad killing a criminal, and it scared him. Sure, he took the First Secretary hostage, but he was still human right? As he questioned his morals, the news comes on. It's mostly coverage about the hostage taking and he sees Aranea being interviewed. Thankfully, she keeps his identity as the sniper secret. He didn't want to be recognized and he did request for Aranea to leave his name out for any operations he took part in. Then, a new headline appears in bright red.

"Noctis Caelum, the heir to LucisCorp and a student at the University of Insomnia, was last seen walking home from classes before he disappeared. This incident regarding another person of significant stature has raised quentions as to whether it is connected in some way to earlier's hostage situation involving the First Secretary of Accordo. As of the moment, there are no leads proving this speculated connection, but police are working to find and retrieve Mr Caelum as soon as possible."

A picture of a raven-haired boy with deep, blue eyes appears on the screen.

"He looks just as old as I am..." Prompto says to himself, imagining the worried state his friends and family must be in right now. "I hope they find him soon."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had to write something else because I am totally stuck with my other fanfic (Swipe Right For Awkwardness) and I don't know how to proceed yet. Lol.
> 
> In the meantime, enjoy this new crap! Let me know how it makes you feel. Just testing the waters right now for a different concept.
> 
> I'm planning this series to have a bit more angst, less fluff, and some violence here and there. It's not gonna be lighthearted and might get dark in a few spots. Also, no, nobody important is going to die...until I decide someone needs to die. Lol.
> 
> So yeah, this chapter was long ang slow, and there are some loose ends, but I'll tie them up as I progress. This time, I'm actually thinking of a plan rather than just writing what I feel right there and then so I don't get stuck, confused, and hating myself for getting yself stuck an confused. Lol.
> 
> I appreciate all your support, kudos, and comments! Makes me feel I'm not shit at everything! :3


	2. Unwavering Resolve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis was still on the floor, his pants bunched up around his ankles and his shirt torn from the vicious treatment he just experienced. He was shaking and felt numb, unable to move a single muscle. The only thing that kept him from passing out was the coldness of the floor and the warm liquid trickling out of him.

"My, my. You look much better in person than in pictures." A hand roughly grabs Noctis by the chin, a sadistic smile on the face of his captor. "It's not every day I get to kidnap such a handsome young man like yourself."

Noctis is still dazed from the kidnapping and the chloroform. The last thing he remembers is walking home from school when someone grabbed him from behind and shoved him into a dark van. Why the hell did they take him? Sure he was the son of LucisCorp's president, but the company had done nothing to warrant his abduction, at least, that's what he knows. He stares coldly at the man and would've already punched him if he weren't tied to a chair.

"What the hell do you want from me?" Noctis spits out, anger in his voice.

"Oh, I don't want anything from you. I want something from your father, ah, but details, details. All you need to know is unless I get what I want, you'll end up in the river. Or maybe, I can just keep you as my little plaything until I get tired of your body." The man is seemingly enjoying the fear his captive's eyes are showing as he starts feelong Noctis' chest up.

Noctis struggles to distance himself. Not only was this man crazy, he was a pervert. He'd rather drown than be defiled by this creep. The man finally leaves him alone and sets up a camera in front of him. He returns after making sure it's recording, slowly undoing his pants as he walks back to Noctis.

"Now you be a good boy and show your father how much you want to be rescued." The man chuckles darkly.

"H..hey, what the hell?! Don't! Please!"

\-----

Prompto leaves the university after his last class and goes straight to the police station. Aranea called earlier, saying she needed his help. She sounded really shaken up and Prompto was worried about what the whole situation was about. "Head straight to Cindy's lab." She said. Nothing more, nothing less.

He knocks and enters the lab, dropping his bag on a chair as he walks in. Aranea, Cindy, and some other officers were watching something on the screen, disgust on their faces.

Prompto waves to get Aranea's attention "Hey. What's going on? Sounded serious when you called."

"Yes, it is serious. You probably know by now, but it seems like one of your classmates was kidnapped yesterday."

"Huh? Who?" Prompto looks confused. As far as he knew, there wasn't any announcement in class about it.

"Noctis Caelum? You guys share classes, don't you?"

"I don't think - wait, Noctis Caelum?" The gears in Prompto's hear start turning. He had a feeling that name was familiar when he saw the news about his disappearance yesterday evening, but he didn't quite know at the time. "Yeah, I remember now. I've seen him around a few times."

"We're trying to find out a motive as to why he was targeted by Ardyn. Did he mention anything to you at school like problems at home or with his father's company?"

"Sorry, Aranea, but I don't know anything. The guy was quiet and kept to himself. I don't think he had friends..."

Aranea sighs. "Thanks anyway." She walks back to the group of officers and talks with them for a bit before motioning for Prompto to come over.

"Ok, Prom. Normally, I wouldn't ask this of a civilian, but the police is stretched pretty thin right now and you're the best bet we have at resolving this situation."

"Ok? What do I do?"

Aranea pauses for a bit, thinking if bringing Prompto into this situation would be a bad idea. True, he was a civilian, but he was also a trained marksman with a natural talent for shooting. When she met him two years ago at a shooting range in Duscae, she was so impressed by what she saw, she offered to bring him into the police force. He said no, but mentioned he was willing to help out if he could. Ever since then, she's called him over a dozen times to help take out targets from afar. This new situation, however, was different.

"I want you to be part of the strike force that would retrieve Noctis Caelum. Like I said, I don't have a lot of officers right now and the SWAT team is struggling as well. If you want to help out, you'll be under the command of Nyx, my husband and the SWAT commander. You're going to back up the team from behind. I don't want you getting shot and I promise that we'll look out for you. You don't have to accept, of course. It's your call to make."

Prompto ponders the situation for a moment, then responds readily. "When do we go get him?"

Aranea smiles, satisfied that her belief in Prompto's resolve to help still stood. She can't get rid of the worrying feeling she has in her gut if Prompto gets injured, but she has no better option. "Glad to see you're still willing to help us."

"Sure. I also want to be there when we get him out. I mean, I'm not even sure he'll even recognize me or know who I am, but we go to the same school and have the same classes. I hope it would help him if he knew I was a classmate of his." Prompto says thoughtfully, and he meant it.

"I hope so too. We received a video earlier today from Ardyn. Seems like he's made some demands for the president of LucisCorp to fund some project of his, or else he's going to kill Noctis, or worse..."

"What?!" The image of his classmate being murdered sends a chill down Prompto's spine. "And what do you mean 'or worse'? What could be worse than -" An officer gasping interrupts Prompto and he goes over to the screens to see what was going on. Aranea moves to stop him, but she's too late.

On the screen, Prompto could clearly see something awful happening. Noctis was on the floor, screaming and crying. There's no sound, but the images are enough to convey the extreme pain Noctis was experiencing. His hands were tied behind him, and Ardyn...Ardyn was raping him, a smug, satisfied look on his face as Noctis cried out.

"W...what...no...is he...?" Aranea pulls him away from the screens and out of the lab

"You weren't supposed to see that. Are you alright?" She asks, concerned. Prompto is visibly shaken, but manages to reply.

"Y...yeah. We have to get Noctis out of there! That monster's..." Prompto shakes his head.

"We will, soon. Right now, we're trying to find out where Ardyn's keeping him." Aranea places her hand on Prompto's shoulder "Hey, Prompto, I need you to stay calm and not say a word about this to anyone. I know it's upsetting, but it's a delicate situation right now and I need to know if you're still up to this."

Prompto nods. There was a guy he knew suffering at the hands of a madman. They weren't friends or anything, but Noctis seemed like a lonely guy at school. It's like he was missing something in his life. He already seemed vulnerable and then someone comes along to take advantage of him. He can't let it slide. "I am. Let me know right away when we're moving out. I'll kill that bastard myself."

"Easy, hotshot. This operation needs to go smoothly. I don't need you going Rambo because you're pissed. You migt get killed and I can't live with that, alright?" Aranea's voice, thought stern, shows a hint of concern.

"Yeah..."

"Good. Look, let me take you home. We can't move until we find out Noctis' location, and you've seen a lot today. Try to take it easy for now, ok?"

Prompto nods and they go to Aranea's car. She drops him off at his apartment, reminds him to relax, and leaves. Honestly, though, after seeing how Ardyn was treating Noctis, the last thing on Prompto's mind was to relax. He was pissed and he was afraid - afraid that once they finally get the intel they need and move out, it'll be too late. He tries to take Aranea's advice though and busies himself with his camera and some schoolwork, but it's just not working for him.

That night, he wonders if Noctis was alright, his pained face etched into his mind as he tries to get some sleep.

\-----

"Now that wasn't too bad, was it? You didn't even bleed. I'm wondering that it might not even be the first time you've taken a cock up your pretty bum." Ardyn teases menacingly as he gets dressed.

Noctis was still on the floor, his pants bunched up around his ankles and his shirt torn from the vicious treatment he just experienced. He was shaking and felt numb, unable to move a single muscle. The only thing that kept him from passing out was the coldness of the floor and the warm liquid trickling out of him.

"Just kill me..." he says weakly.

"Come now, what's the fun in that? Your screams were music to my ears. It something I'd definitely want to hear again and again." Ardyn says casually. "And I'm sure a lot of men would love to get your hands on that sweet body of yours. I'm wondering how much I'll earn if I sell you on the black market. As much as I enjoy being in you, I also need to make a profit, you know."

Noctis just stares at Ardyn with immense hatred, but he was powerless to do anything. Unless someone saves him, he might as well be dead. He shudders at the though of being passed around from man to man, each taking his turn destroying him bit by bit until nothing remained. He wanted to cry, but all his tears have been spent. Was this the end for him?

"Someone...help me...please..." He whispers to himself before his body finally gives up from the stress and trauma and he loses consciousness.

\-----

Cindy was furiously mashing her keyboard and clicking her mouse, trying to find any detail in the video that could help tell her where the poor boy was being held. She bravely chose not to avert her eyes from the horrible scenes, choosing to focus on anything that might stand out. As she begins losing hope of finding anything in the background, she notices the faint outline of something in the shadows.

"Iris, sweetie, do you see that?"

Iris' hologram materializes beside Cindy and looks at the screen. She squints and gasps, hey systems immediately altering the video to make the object more visible.

"Looks like an old machine. Wait, I think I know what that is!"

A series of photographs come up on the screens around Cindy with Iris cross-checking each one with the still from the image to find a match. "Aha!"

"Did you find it, hun?"

"Yes. Based on what my systems found, it's an old arcade machine that was produced exclusively for the Insomnia Fair years ago!" Iris says excitedly, seemingly having discovered something important.

"The Insomnia Fair? You mean that place full of abandoned buildings by the highway?"

"Mhmmm. The very same one."

"Think it'll still be there?"

"When the fair went bankrupt, the rides were dismantled, but some of the arcade machines were left because they company just didn't take them. All the machines that were taken out were scrapped, so that means..."

"...the only machines of that kind left are in the fair. Or, what used to be the fair."

"Exactly!"

Cindy leans back in her chair, relieved that they finally found something that could lead to Noctis' rescue. "Oh, Iris, what would I do without you?"

"Probably still struggling to find anything. Or do anything, really." Iris teases.

"Oh, shush! I built you, remember?" Cindy chuckles. "Mind if you call up Aranea for me. She needs this info."

"On it." Iris' hologram disappears. Moments later, Aranea appears on the screen in front of Cindy.

"Got something for me, Cindy?"

"I know where that boy is being held. He's at the Insomnia Fair." Cindy sends Aranea the details of her and Iris' findings. Aranea reviews the info and smiles.

"Thank you, Cindy. We never even thought of looking there. I'll send someone to the fair confirm this quickly and to make sure Noctis is still alive, then we can make a move. Prepare to be on standby for comms, alright?"

"Alrighty, boss!"

\-----

It's 7 AM when Prompto is woken by his ringing phone. It's been a rough night and he couldn't get much sleep after seeing Noctis in such a bad way. He reached out to grab his phone and mumbles a sleepy "good morning."

"Prompto, it's Aranea. We know where Noctis is. Head down to the station immediately after class. We're going to retrieve him under the cover of darkness later tonight. I'll fill you in on the details later."

Prompto immediately jumps up from bed, finally hearing some good news. He goes through his day, though it's tough trying to focus when all he has on his mind is rescuing Noctis. He runs to the station right after class and bursts into Aranea's office, breathless. Another man is already there along with Cindy.

"Woah, easy pal. Can't have you panting during the mission." the man says, eyeing the slim, blonde. He turns to Aranea and whispers "is this really a good idea?"

Aranea whispers back. "Trust me. He doesn't look like much, but he's alright on the field. He'll trust you if you trust him."

The man approaches Prompto and holds out his hand. "Nyx Ulrich. I'll be your commanding officer during tonight's operation."

Prompto extends his arm in return. "Prompto...Argentum...sir...phew."

They shake hands and Nyx raises an eyebrow. Aranea shoots him a glance that seems to affirm her trust in Prompto and that he should too.

"Good to have you here, Prompto. Here's the situation..." Aranea explains Noctis' location and his role that night. "...Cindy will be handling comms for the team, as usual, alright? Any questions?"

Prompto shakes his head, understanding the risks involved. He wonders why he's so pumped up about helping someone he doesn't even know anything about, but then realizes he sees himself in Noctis somehow. He was lonely once, too.

Later that night, he's equipped with night vision goggles and a bulletproof vest, a handgun holstered on his right hip and an assault rifle slung behind his back. He and a team of six SWAT officers are creeping stealthily through the tall grass that surrounds the old arcade of the abandoned fair. Prompto breathes slowly, his mind focused on the goal.

"Hang on, Noctis. I'm coming to save you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said this chapter wasn't gonna be rape-y, but then it became rape-y. Sorry.
> 
> I've always wanted Prompto to be the dominant character somehow, and hopefully, my attempt is working. Just a heads up, there isn't gonna be smut for a while since I want to develop these characters a bit more before delving into anything steamy. After all, Noctis just got raped. I don't think he's ready to be bent over again after that trauma.
> 
> So yeah, this story is going to progress slowly. I apologize in advance if you're looking for Promptis sexytime. It will come, just not now or the next few chapters. We'll see what happens, and hopefully, y'all won't abandon me. :3


	3. Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Owww..." The pain in his ass is temporary though as Prompto picks himself up and hides himself behind among the foliage. The car was still some distance away, but Prompto could clearly see something was happening over there. He stealthily moves closer, taking care not to let the bright moonlight expose him, and starts to hear heavy grunts, swears, pleas, and, eventually, outright yelling. The car was rocking from side to side, its windows made opaque by steam. Inside, the cries of abuse rang loud in Prompto's ears.

Prompto's knees were shaking. He has never been put in an assault team before. Despite Aranea's assurance that the team would also be looking out for his safety, the risk of him being shot or worse was very real. He wasn't prepared to die at the young age of 20, but he knew Noctis wasn't either.

Cindy's voice comes through his earpiece "Alright, boys. You ready to save us a hostage?"

"Ready as ever, Cindy." Nyx says. He's leading the assault team and glances back at the other members from his position. "Engage any hostiles, secure the target, and capture Ardyn. Also, keep and eye of Prompto. The chief made it very clear that he is to return in one piece." 

"Why is a civvie with us again?" says one of the memebrs in a rather annoyed tone.

Nyx replies "He's no ordinary civvie. The chief trusts him to hold up just as well as each of us, and I have no doubt he will." He offers a thumbs up to Prompto. "Try not to die, kid, or Aranea will have my head."

Prompto nods and takes in a deep breath. Just as he lets it out, the signal to enter the dark, foreboding building is given and he rushes in along with the rest of the team. They sweep the structure from top to bottom silently, taking cover every few meters just in case somebody starts shooting at them. The anticipated exchange of gunfire doesn't happen and Nyx reports back to Cindy.

"There's nobody here. It's empty."

Aranea's voice comes through, replacing Cindy's. " That doesn't sound good. I sent a man to that location earlier and he confirmed the target was there. Keep your guard up and your eyes peeled. If Ardyn moved Noctis, they couldn't have gone far. I have checkpoints along the highway and patrols in the surrounding area. Check the other structures in the fair, but don't spread yourself thin."

"Got it. Alright boys, you heard the chief. Move out!" At Nyx's command, the team enters the few remaining buildings, but come up with nothing. Noctis was gone, and so was Ardyn.

"Dammit. Aranea, the target is gone."

The sound of Aranea slamming her fist on a table along with a swear reverberates in the team's earpieces.

Prompto's heart sinks. They were so close to finding Noctis, but he's gone. Where could he be? As he ponders the situation they're in, he vaguely remembers seeing an access panel on the floor in the first building they entered. "Hey, I have a theory..." he says meekly.

Nyx glances at him. "Any ideas would help right now. What do you have for us, kid?"

"I think I passed by a hatch on the floor back there." Prompto points to their starting point. "If there are tunnels underneath this place, Noctis might have been taken there."

"Cindy, can you confirm this?"

"Hold on, sugar." A few seconds later, Cindy returns, excitement in her voice. "Prompto's right. There's a whole network of tunnels under that place. Apparently, they were built as a shelter way back during the war with Niflheim. I'll guide y'all through. Iris got me some blueprints."

"Good to hear. Alright, looks like we're going underground. Stay on your toes. We don't know what's down there. Good call, kid."

The team locates the entrance to the underground passageways and open it. A rush of air greets them as the rusted metal hatch creaks open, revealing a pit of darkness and a ladder that's seen better days.

"Looks like I'll die by falling and breaking my neck tonight..." Prompto thinks to himself as he descends into the depths with the rest of the team. Once they reach the bottom, they check their gear and make sure that their night vision goggles are still working before proceeding through the darkness.

The tunnels are laid out like a maze, with several hallways branching out away from the main one. Several rooms line each hall, and while most are empty, some still contain supplies and and old furniture, still waiting for people to take refuge in them from a war that ended almost 30 years ago. The atmosphere was eerie as occasional cold breezes swept through the tunnels.

Nyx notices the air moving around them. "Seems like there's an opening somehwere. This wind isn't coming from nowhere. Cindy, can you find an open exit for this place?"

"Already ahead of you, hon. Follow the main hall all the way to the end and turn left. It's going to be quite a jog though. Distance is about 3 miles." Cindy pauses and gasps. "Boys, you better run. I just pulled up a satellite feed of the exit and there's a car that shouldn't be there. Ardyn's probably takin' the target there and driving off."

Aranea interrupts the conversation. "Split up. One group stays in those tunnels and keeps searching. There's a chance the target is still there. The rest run over to that car and keep watch for any suspicious movements."

Prompto volunteers to run to the exit and scout the location, justifying it with his experience as a natural runner. Aranea debates on whether she should let him go when Nyx says he'll follow him and cover his back. She agrees reluctantly on the condition that Prompto stay low.

Prompto leaves his rifle with another officer and takes off with only a light handgun and a combat knife. Thankfully, the tunnels have remained dry throughout the years and he makes it to the end without so much as stumbling over something. He was a natural klutz, but thankfully, his feet decided to cooperate with him until the exit where he trips over an old pipe lying accross the ground.

"Owww..." The pain in his ass is temporary though as Prompto picks himself up and hides himself behind among the foliage. The car was still some distance away, but Prompto could clearly see something was happening over there. He stealthily moves closer, taking care not to let the bright moonlight expose him, and starts to hear heavy grunts, swears, pleas, and, eventually, outright yelling. The car was rocking from side to side, its windows made opaque by steam. Inside, the cries of abuse rang loud in Prompto's ears.

"Aaaaaaagh! STOP!"

"Oh, I'm not stopping, Noctis. You've caused me so much trouble already by not cooperating with me. If you keep doing that, you better be ready for your punishment."

"NO!"

There was a struggle happening, and though Prompto couldn't see inside the car, he was very much aware of what was happening and he was furious. He glances back to see if Nyx had come out of the tunnels yet, but there was nobody. He was alone. He had to do something.

"Cindy, Aranea...I found Ardyn and Noctis." Prompto sas shakily.

"What's the situation?" Aranea asks.

"Not good. Ardyn is hurting him...Nyx isn't here. I have to do something! I'm going in!"

"Stand down, Prompto. This is too dangerous!...Prompto, respond! PROMPTO!"

Prompto doesn't hear Aranea respong as he's already sneaking his way to the car. Noctis's pained cries coupled with Ardyn's sultry moaning become even louder, making him feel sick to the stomach. He pulls out his combat knife and stabs the tires of the vehicle, hoping to stop Ardyn from escaping if he were discovered.

As the tires deflate and the car sinks closer to the ground, they occupants fall silent. Ardyn must've noticed something was wrong and moments later, he emerges from the car, his shirt stained with sweat and his belt still unbuckled. Prompto takes this opportunity to corner him and stands up, gun drawn and pointed straight at Ardyn's head.

Ardyn looks at him long and hard. "Well, what's this?"

"Step away from the vehicle with your hands up!" Prompto says, half yelling, half growling.

Ardyn does as he's told and steps back, his hands in the air, but with a smug smile on his face. "Are you the rescue party? My, you're pretty good-looking as well." His eyes wander up and down, lustily examining Prompto's lithe figure.

"Shut up!" Prompto keeps his eyes and gun on Ardyn as he moves to the open door. He glances quickly inside and sees Noctis sprawled out on the back seat, half-naked and bruised, tears staining his face and blood trickling from his nose.

"Hey, don't worry. I'm here to get you out, alright?" Prompto says. He turns back to Ardyn, a vicious expression of hatred on his face. "Mind explaining yourself before I shoot you?"

"We were just having a little romp. That's not wrong, is it?" Ardyn says innocently, further infuriating Prompto who fires a shot past the disgusting man, the bullet grazing his cheek and causing a clean cut.

"Don't make me ask again. Why did you kidnap Noctis?!"

"It's none of your concern, and given that you've injured me, I'm in no mood to answer."

"Oh, you'll answer alright. You're not getting out of this. I'd kill you right now, but some people back in Insomnia want answers."

Ardyn scoffs and lowers his hands, crossing them in front of his chest. "You can pull off the tough act, but we both know you won't shoot me. You don't have it in you."

Prompto stares at Ardyn angrily, his finger on the trigger, but he's struggling to pull it. "Stay back! Don't make me kill you!"

"Oh really? You would've done it already, but instead, you're wasting your time on this useless banter." Ardyn starts walking slowly to Prompto. "As for me, however, I have no such reservations on killing you. If you want to live, you might as well get in the car and join Noctis and me." He chuckles.

"You're a sick bastard." Prompto fires a warning shot at Ardyn's feet. "The next one's going to go right in between your eyes if you don't stay back."

"Oh please. Why don't you try shooting me instead of telling me you'll shoot me?" Ardyn rolls his eyes.

Thinking that every second with this madman was going to drive him insane himself, Prompto hurries to pull Noctis out of the car as Ardyn watches. He could barely walk, but manages to shuffle away with Prompto following closely behind him, eyes and gun still trained on Ardyn.

"Don't take him away. We were having so much fun together..."

Prompto helps Noctis to a boulder and tells him to stay there. "Hey, you're going to be alright. Just stay here while I wait for backup." Noctis nods weakly.

Nyx finally emerges from the tunnel, out into the open space, and Prompto looks his way. The quick distraction allows Ardyn to pull out a gun he's been hiding god knows where and aim for Noctis. Prompto manages to catch the movement and uses his body to shield Noctis as the gun goes off. Two bullets hit him in the chest and shoulder and he goes down.

"Prompto!" Nyx pulls out his own gun and starts firing at Ardyn who deftly dives into his car and starts the engine. The bullets merely dent the vehicle as the wheels begin to spin,seemingly ignoring the long lacerations Prompto inflicted on them earlier. The back window shatters as Nyx keeps shooting while making a beeline for Prompto's frighteningly still body. 

Despite Nyx's best efforts, Ardyn escapes, much to his frustration. He turns his focus to Prompto, who groans, blood soaking his shirt from the bullet that embedded itself in his shoulder. Thankfully, his vest prevented the other bullet from piercing his heart.

"Hey, take it easy." Nyx applies pressure to the wound and looks at Noctis. The poor boy was stunned and shaking. "Don't worry, Noctis. You'll be home in no time."

For the first time since being rescured, the raven-haird boy speaks. "Is...is he going to be...alright?"

"He better be, right Prompto?" Nyx looks down at the blonde and sighs. "Aranea's gonna kill me for this..."

\-----

"HE DID WHAT?!" Aranea yells at Nyx back at police headquarters. "Oh my fucking god! Where the hell were you?! You said you were going to be right behind him!"

"Something collapsed in the tunnels. I had to find a way around it. I'm sorry." Nyx sighs. There was no way to argue with the angry police chief, who also happened to be his wife.

Aranea rages on for a few more minutes before calming down. She rubs her forehead with her fingers, then speaks in a softer tone. "Sorry, Nyx. I shouldn't have yelled. I would assume you did your best, like you always do."

"Hey, I get it. Prompto got shot even after I promised nothing would happen to him."

"Well, given what happened, being shot is better than being killed. That boy's pretty brave doing that all by himself, huh?"

"Reckless would be a better word, but yeah. He did find Noctis and got him out. Ardyn's escape I take full responsibility for though."

"We'll just try to track him down again and hit back." Aranea finally lets her guard down a bit and embraces Nyx. "I'm really sorry. I didn't even ask if you were alright..."

He returns the embrace. "It's fine, dear. You get caught up in like I do sometimes. It's not like the first time you've yelled at me because of work."

Aranea chuckles. "That's true. Can't believe you're still with me after all these years. I'm a pretty tough wife, aren't I?"

"That's why I love you, silly."

"Good to be reminded of that. How's Prompto and Noctis?"

"Doctor Luna Fleuret down at the hospital said both would be fine, but Noctis would need to stay longer. He's being treated for trauma and checked for internal injuries. Ardyn did quite the number on the boy. Prompto volunteered to check in on him until he gets better since he probably won't be able to help out here while his shoulder's healing."

"I wouldn't let him help anymore in that kind of operation anyway. He doesn't calculate risks too well. He could get killed if I let him do that again..." Aranea pauses. "But he's a passionate guy with a big heart. He does what he thinks is right and necessary, so I can't stay too mad at him. He's a good kid."

\-----

"Regis, I assure you that your son is alright. Given what he's been through, he's escaped major injuries, though we'd like to keep him for a bit longer to make sure there are no complication. We won't keep him longer than necessary." says the blonde, female doctor. The nametag pinned on her white coat reads "Doctor Lunafreya N. Fleuret." And indeed, she wasn't witholding the truth. "I've known Noctis since we were kids. He's strong and I'm confident he'll be fine. So please, don't worry. I'll take care of him until he becomes well enough to go home."

Regis, Noctis' worried father and the president of LucisCorp can only sigh and nod. "I trust you, Luna. There's no better doctor for me, especially when it comes to taking care of Noctis. I'm just...shaken and at my wit's end."

" I know. We could go see him right now, if you'd like. He's awake and fully aware of his surroundings. You might also want to thank the office who took a bullet for him. They're sharing a room and when I left, they seemed to be getting along."

"That's good to hear. Please, Luna. Lead the way."

\-----

"Never though a classmate would come save me." Noctis says. "Thanks, dude."

Prompto smiles and chats with Noctis, wanting to know more about this guy. They were the same age, took the same classes, but yet, haven't spoken to each other until now.

"It wasn't exactly the way I want to meet you, but I guess everything turned out alright."

"Yeah, except for this goddamn pain in my ass and the bruises that jerk gave me." Noctis laughs.

"Hey, if you don't mind me asking, I just noticed you were kinda a loner st school. In private, you're pretty cool."

"Yeah, I'm not really the social type. I'm not unfriendly or anything, but it's just that nobody's ever approached me. I don't know, maybe they were intimidated or because I have a terrible resting bitch face that turns everyone away."

"Aw, don't beat yourself up. You've already gone through some tough shit. I'm amazed you could even talk with me right now."

"I guess being with the guy who saved me helps. You literally took a bullet for me and you didn't even know me, so thanks for that. How's the shoulder?"

Prompto glances at his bandages. "It's alright now, but gods, it hurt like hell until the medics came."

"I could imagine. How did you get involved with all this, anyway? I'm just surprised the police let a college student do something like what you did."

"It was by chance. I'm really good at shooting then the police chief saw me and asked if I'd like to join the force. I turned down the offer, but told her that I could lend a hand if she needed me. It doesn't happen a lot." Prompto downplays his contributions to the police department and how helpful he's been on past operations. He didn't want to brag.

Just then, the door opens and Regis and Luna walk in. Regis rushes to his son's side and takes his hand in his, a grateful smile on his face and his eyes welling up with tears. "Oh, Noct...I was so worried...I thought I had lost you..."

Noctis feels tears forming in his eyes as well. He and his dad don't see or talk to each other often as his dad was usually preoccupied with business matters. Over the years, they're grown further from each other, but his father's love for him was still as strong as ever. Right now, he was just happy to see his dad.

"I'm ok dad...thanks to Prompto."

Regis looks towards Prompto and holds his hand as well. "Thank you, son. No words can suffice for what you've done for Noct and me. I really am very grateful. It also seems like Noctis has found a friend, he could use more good people around him."

"Oh, no. It's nothing." Prompto is nervous. Even in his current state, Noctis' father still exuded an aura of distinction and prestige. "I'm just glad I was there."

"Please, if there's anything I could do for you to thank you, let me know." Regis' grip on Prompto's hand tightens, but it's a warm, parental grip. At the back of his mind, he wonders if this was how a father's warmth felt like. Growing up, he didn't see much of his parents either, and even now, it's rare to see them around.

"Oh, it's perfectly alright. Please don't trouble yourself, sir. Saving Noctis' life is a reward in itself."

"Alright, son. But if you ever find yourself in need, my offer still stands. You have saved someone very precious to me and I'd be happy to pay you back in any way."

"Dad..." Noctis interjects "That's enough. You're embarrassing him."

Regis chuckles. "Perhaps I am, but at least let me take care of your friend's medical bills. No objections, please. Now Luna here will watch over you duing your stay. Please behave and don't give her any problems, alright?"

"C'mon dad. I'll be fine. I do have a new friend to keep me company too." Noctis glances at Prompto and smiles.

Luna, who has been watching in silence from a corner this whole time, approaches the boys and Regis slowly. "Don't worry, Regis. They'll both be up and about very soon. I'd like for them to take some medicine now and rest though. The adrenaline is still pumping and the last thing I want is for them to suddenly crash once it wears off."

"Ah, yes. I understand." Regis gets up. "Just in case I won't be able to come visit, I'll send Ignis over to get you boys things you might need or want. Of course, I'll try to do my best to some over when I can."

"Don't worry dad. We'll be ok here." Noctis responds. "You do have a company to run too, so please don't ignore it for me too much."

Regis nods with a smile and says his goodbyes as Luna leads him outside. From that day on, Prompto was considered a member of the Caelum family and his friendhsip with Noctis was only destined to grow and deepen throughout their hospital stay.

\-----

"Prompto Argentum. I'll never forget a face and name like yours. Watch your back, I'll be coming for you..." Ardyn says wickedly, his face glowing in the light of his computer screens at his hideout. "...you'll never see it coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, Noctis is rescued!
> 
> I'll have a lighter tone for the next few chapters as they'll focus more on character and relatinship development rather than the angsty, violent stuff.
> 
> Let me know what you think about the direction the story's going in. I know, I know. It's not fluffy smut (yet). It's going to be slow progress, but if you'll stick with it, thanks! :3


End file.
